The Two Inspectors sat quietly in an sparsely peopled Tube as it carried them toward the 11th Inkhold District. Neither had spoken since meeting with Lord Crecius, the silence following them into the Root System. As their destination grew closer, Kint felt a tension mounting. The revelations about Elsha’s life were too sensitive, too personal to ignore. To know such these things about her, Kint felt he was violating an unwritten pact they'd had. He felt the urge to address it, to apologize for having heard it at all. But he sensed that would not be right. The aged inspector let out a huff in frustration. These were not waters he was used to navigating, nor ones he wanted to. They were two stops away before Elsha finally broke the silence.
“You just couldn’t keep your mouth shut, eh?” She chided. Kint was relieved to see a shy smile on his partner's face.
“You’re one to talk.” He shot back, with a small smile of his own.
The airy laugh that left her lips broke any tension that remained. her essence blooming back into that of a self assured vixen.
“I think it's safe to say Crecius is reading The Sentinel’s missives.” She commented.
“Yeah.” Kint replied with a soft snort of laughter.
The silence fell again, less oppressive this time. Kint could breathed easier, Elsha seeming back to her old self.
The Train stopped at the 13th Vorvan District. Kint watched a well powdered merchant exit the tube. The tall attendant reentered the vessel, closing the door, and patting the wrinkles out of her white suite before placing a hand on the conduction crystal to get them going again.
They glided along for a few more minutes, before Elsha spoke up again as they neared the 11th Inkhold station.
“Thank you.” She said, just louder than a whisper.
Kint looked at her, puzzled.
“For what?” he asked.
“For standing up for me.” She spoke, earnest eyes locked on Kint’s own. "It was just a word, but you have a lot at risk."
“I…” A tightness grabbed at Kint’s chest. “I was just angry, that’s all.”
Elsha gave a rye smile, waiting for him to continue.
“You can stand up for yourself just fine.”
The train stopped, they’d arrived at their destination. But Elsha held him there as a mocking smile spread across her face.
“And don’t you forget it.” She quipped, turning sharply to make her way out of the Tube.
Kint sat there a bit longer, that same tightness in his chest holding him there. This time there was a warmth accompanying it. He shook himself free of the feeling, hopping out of his seat and out the door as the Tube Attendant roused the vessel from its nap. Kint hustled to catch up with his long legged partner, finally joining her as they exited up toward the street.
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The two were immediately hit with a blast of humid air carrying the stale smell of rust into their faces. The Shroud was so thick in this district that Kint could almost feel it as a physical force. From what he could see, the tunnel they’d emerged from deposited them onto a sparsely populated crossroads. Looking around, it was hard to tell which direction they were facing through the fog. The lifeless architecture didn't help either. Each street was of cobbled stone, with rows upon rows of standard Mage Forged stone apartments. Poorly kept Aqueducts spread out in all directions, the rusted pipes nailed to their sides spewed steam at every fitting.
The Inspectors looked around, trying to spot the Acolytes that were supposed to meet them. They began to suspect that no one would be coming any time soon.
“Well this is off to a good start.” Elsha quipped, shoving her hands into her cloak pockets.
“They’re probably waiting for us at the scene.” Kint posited.
“I guess we’ll have to find it ourselves.” Elsha sighed. Craned her head to look down each stone corridor. “Any ideas on where we’re headed?”
Kint pointed to the street in front of them.
“Sure. Why not.” She shrugged.
The two made their way down block after block of cobbled streets. Elsha struggled to keep pace, uncomfortable in a followers position. Kint kept his strides steady, not wavering or pausing to check where they were going.
They made a confident left turn.
“How do you know where we’re going?” Elsha asked.
“Pipes” He grunted.
“Pipes?”
Kint pointed toward the aqueduct above them, where dozens of parallel pipes were bolted. “Some of those pipes are much newer than others.” Kint pointed out. “Those’ll be going to the Factory Quarter.”
“How can you know that?” Elsha pressed.
“Because if I was running a business. I wouldn’t trust the maintenance of my infrastructure to the lord of a Mule District.” Kint explained.
His partner gave him a raised eyebrow. They kept walking.
They were half a dozen blocks from the Root Access point. Living conditions worsened with every step. Shadows could be seen moving around in dark alley ways, cracks and clatters eminating from them. Elsha didn't look frightened, but this wasn’t something she’d experienced before.
“Street urchins.” Kint commented. Staring straight ahead as he spoke. “It’s common for Mule Districts like this to have a lot of them.”
"You've used that term twice now... what does is mean?" She asked.
“Mule Districts?"
She nodded.
"Its a term used to describe districts like these. With no resources, no river ways, no culture, and a Lord with no Motivation.” Kint grumbled. “To a Lord, districts these only have two things of value, land and labor. And without ambition it's much easier to rent them out than manage them yourself.” They took a right turn this time, Kint’s stride confident as ever. “For an Indolent Lord it's the perfect solution. They get consistent Income from the district into their personal coffers with little effort. It's a good deal for the renters too, who can cut the labor costs to the bone and not have to worry about the consequences."
"It doesn't seem like a good deal for the Kadenites..." Elsha noted.
"In the end, many die young, ground down by endless hours and back breaking work.” Kint nodded his head over toward a nearby alleyway, shrouded shadows gathered at it's entrance. “The urchins are what’s left behind.” He finished.
“You seem to know a lot more about this place than just ‘pipes’ Kint.” She pointed out.
Kint paused. “A friend of mine used to live around here.” Was all he would say.
“Inspector Kint has friends now… ” His partner joked. "Imagine that."
She did not inquire further.
The two Inspectors arrived at the Factory Quarter. The transition from the residential to a more industrial setting was fluid. The Factory buildings were made of the same gray stone as the apartments. The only differences being that the Factories were longer, had fewer windows. It didn't matter much in the thick of the fog.
Searching out their objective, they were surprised to see the young Apprentice Inspector Payter coming down the street to greet them. Elsha groaned, the two parties meeting on the side of the road.
“Inspectors.” The straight-laced Apprentice bowed.
“Payter.” Kint addressed the lad, Elsha notably did not, choosing instead to admire the wide assortment of grays around them. “What are you doing here?” Kint asked, A bit put off by the boy’s presence.
“The mayor sent me.” The well pressed young man stated. “He wants to make sure things go smoothly.”
“So he sent you?” Elsha questioned.
“I believe his exact words were, ‘I need to make sure those two idiots don’t fuck it up.’”
“Well, we’ve already done that, so I guess you can go home now.” Elsha cut in.
Kint groaned. Payter looked concerned.
“Really? Has something happened?” He inquired.
“It’s nothing to worry about. We just had a bit of a miscommunication with the Lord, but it's all sorted now.” Kint replied, brushing off the boy's anxious stare. “Now. Do you know where we’re headed?” Kint asked, “It’s a blasted maze in here.”
“Of course.” The boy replied, eager. “Follow me.”
As the two inspectors trailed the young man through the narrow factory quarter streets, Kint leaned over to whisper to his partner.
“What’s your issue?” He asked.
“I’m not sure.” She replied. “That boy gets my hackles up.”
You could be reading stolen content. Head to Royal Road for the genuine story.
“Come on.” Kint badgered, “The kid has ambitions, don’t begrudge him that.”
“It isn't the ambition that concerns me, Kint... Something's off about him.” She mumbled.
Kint was surprised to see her so put off. The boy was just following orders.
"There is still some innocence in the world, you know. A thing can have a shadow, that doesn't make it dark.”
“Maybe…” She whispered, unconvinced.
The three law enforcement officers turned another corner to see two black suited men with purple vests. They flanked either side of a large steel door leading into an even larger stone factory. On the other side of the street was a row of five three story apartment buildings. In front of each building, several threadbare Kadenites sat on dusty stoops, shadowy figures looming through the Shroud.
Kint turned to Apprentice Payter. “If you want to be helpful, start asking those Kadenites if they know what happened here or heard anything last night.” The young redhead nodded, turning to be about his task. “Write down anything interesting.” Kint called after him.
That done, Kint approached the two Acolytes. "I believe the two of you have been looking for us." Kint proposed. The taller of the two men looking down at him with disdain. His stocky build and rectangular head gave him an imposing quality that his sickly partner lacked.
"You're late." The blockish man stated.
Kint flinched, the man's gruff voice rattling though his bones, strumming frayed nerves. "Punctuality is the bare minimum expectation for a mission under the Black Seal."
Elsha's reaction was a bit different from his own.
"Terrribly sorry." She said, giving a small bow. "It's just, we've never been to this part of District 13."
Kint observed the tall Acolyte as his lip twiched in rage, the emotion quickly passing. He did not respond to the comment, but Kint heard the soft clicking of steel on steel coming from his partner. He glanced down toward the source of the noise, noticing the silver clawed gauntlet the twigish man wore on his right hand. The blue saphires laid into the knuckles identified the weapon as that of a Wind Weaver. The tired look in the mans eyes told Kint that while the blockier gentlemen was more intimidating, the slender one was more dangerous.
"I am led to assume that you are both aware of your objective here?" The stocky one continued, ingoring Elsha's comment. He paused, inviting one of them to make a joke. But, the two Inspectors just nodded in ascent. "Good. Then I don't have to remind you that if you solve this the right way, praise and prosperity will fall upon you and yours. But if you start painting outside the lines..." He let the threat go unfinished, the hint of a Vorvan accent country accent drawing out his last word.
"We understand." Kint responed, cutting off his partner before she could fill the gap.
"Very well..." He nodded, reaching across the door to grab the iron handle. "By the way." He paused, "We've had the bodies moved to the Mortuary in the 13th. So don't be surprised when you don't see them." The man commented.
"It would have been better if--" Kint griped, but the Acolyte cut him off.
"Look friend, they're already on their way. You can see them at HQ if you like. Am I understood." There was a force behind the mans gaze that brooked now argument.
Kint's eyes tightened in consternation, but he nodded, accepting the new variable in stride.
Elsha was less deliberate in her response. "How are we supposed to solve a double murder without the bodies?"
The imposing man graced her with that condescending smile, "Like I said... the right way." He turned the handle and swung the door open, motioning the Inspectors inside.
----------------------------------------
They entered the factory, eyes adjusting to the lack of Shroud in the massive space.
"Not coming in?" He heard his partner ask behind him.
"Give us a knock when your done." The door thumped closed.
"They're keeping their distance." Kint noted, as he brushed his fingertips across the thin film of dust that had accumulated on a nearby workbench. "They don't want to affect our investigation."
"Well that would make sense." Elsha snorted. "If they hadn't already moved the damn bodies."
Kint spun on his heel, giving his impish partner a serious look. "Elsha, you know what this is right?" Kint prodded, cocking his head imploringly "Lord Crecius was pretty clear."
The childish smile left her pretty face as she sighed, "I know... I know... But they're just Acolytes, Kint." She pouted, "For all Crecious' bluster, this is a simple thing, as far as black seals go. Can't a girl have a little fun along the way."
Kint gave Elsha a look.
"This is real, Elsha." Kint stated, intensity lining his eyes. "The consequences are real, for me." He emphasized. He locked eyes with here. She looked away.
Kint was releived to see a bit of remorse on her smooth features.
"It's just..." She paused, meeting his eyes again. "It doesn't matter. Let's just get this done."
Kint raised an eyebrow. Elsha raised her hands in a conciliatory gesture, "No more antagonizing the Acolytes." She capitulatied.
"Good." Kint turning to survey the dusty space. "You check up there." The grizzled Inspector pointed toward a set of stairs leading to an upper level overlooking the ground floor. "I'll look around down here." He finished, walking down an aisle between two rows of work benches. He could hear Elsha make her way up the wooden stairs as he examined the lower level. Like the Syfeeli house from the previous day, flecks of dust rained, swirling in the light that shone through the cielings windows. There were three rows of work benches total, each one furnished with individual slots and cubbies for what Kint assumed would be tools. He looked under and around each workbench, but nothing seemed out of place.
Continueing forward, he approached three dark cyclindrical furnaces at the back end of the room. He searched the ground for blood or signs of a struggle. Moving closer, a frustration itched in Inspectors mind as he noticed the three furnaces were not evenly spaced. The gap between the second and the third furnace being twice as large as the first and second. He inspected wider space, noticing scuff marks in the dust around the wall, like someone's feet had been struggling to find purchase on the slick stone. He crouched, sitting on his heels to get a closer look. There was no blood spatter, hair folicles, or any other kind of evidence besides the scuff marks. As Kint began to rise he noticed a glint from a small object in the corner where the center furnace met the wall. He got to one knee, this time laying on his side to reach into the wedge, fingertips fumbling for purchase on the shining object. Reaching to the point of shoulder pain, he finally got hold of the sharp stone. He pulled his hand back, standing to admire his price. It was an uncut blue sappire. Likely the raw material for some Magical Device.
Kint quickly slid the stone into his coat pocked as his partner called to him from above.
"Kint..." She hollered, blonde hair falling around her ear as she peaked her head from behind the upstairs office door. "I think I found our crime scene."
The aged Inspector onto the second level. Noting another row of workbenches situated agains a railing that looked out over the ground floor. There was less dust on the floor in this area as it had seen more use, although the benches themselves were just as barren.
Kint met his partner at the door to the windowed room. It was about the size of the Mayor's office, but instead of having the large wooden desk facing the door, this one faced out toward the factory floor. Across from the door was a low cupboard that was half open, several half finished bottles of liqour sitting atop it. The lower walls of the room were of a deep brown wood, the upper walls completely covered in clear glass. Outside the brown of the wooden walls, cupboard, and desk, the only other color in the room was a deep crimson red.
Blood was everywhere. In most areas it could hardly be called blood spatter, and was more of blood splat. There were several pools of it dried on the floor where bodies must have been laid.
"This looks like Mage work." Elsha commented. "Or at least... I don't know what else it could be. What do you think Kint?" She looked at him with a quizical eye.
He did not meet her gaze. His eyes were already closed. His breath controlled.
"Give me a minute." He grumbled, as his face went slack, the churning waters of emotion calming in his mind. Eventually, they began to drain. Until there was only space. A void. A vast casm of distance between Kint's working mind and the confusing mess of emotions and morality that churned below. He embraced the space, placing within it a singular objective. What happened here?
His eyes opened and the information poured into that space, but instead of cluttering it up, it was filtered through the sive of the objective, coming out clear on the other side.
Three large pools of blood in the room. Two on the left, one larger pool to the right by the desk. Kint moved to examine the desk, seeing that one of the corners of the dark wood was almost purple with dried blood. He looked to the circular spot of blood on the ground and nodded to himself. With precise movements, he shifted towards the other two pools near the window. He stood in front of the desk, one puddle directly in front of him, one smaller pool in front and to the left. A jet of blood spatter spilled across the wall before him, drawing a jagged line down to the larger pool.
Three blood spots, only two bodies. Blood sprayed across the wall as if ejected from the victims back. He pantamimed a punch forward. So much power... Has to be a mage. He looked down toward the pool on the left. Half the torso was severed. Landed over here... He looked down. Here's the rest. He began putting the pieces together in his mind. Crafting his narrative. The assailant was standing here. He used a fist... or some magic to blow a hole in the victims chest, eventually severing the top part of the victims torso. He looked down at where he was standing, confused. He fed the embers that fueled the emotion into the siv. How did he get this deep into the room? Why would an Acolyte face an enemy head on in such a way that would leave his chest wide open? The pieces came to gether as they exited the Siv, and two options came to mind. Either they knew the Attacker... or they knew of him... and were resigned to the fact that they had no chance of winning.
A smile grew on Kint's face as his narrative came together. There was just one thing that still needed to be solved. A rogue element... What Kind of magic could have done this? He pondered. The information the room was giving was not enough, there was no evidence of magic besides the exceptional violence around them. No charred wood, spikes of stone, or broken windows from a Wind Weaver. He needed to see deeper, look beyond. But he couldn't... He could not do a dowsing here, not for this. But still... He needed more information. Something else, something outside this room...
Then it struck him. He was forgetting about the larger context. Lord Crecius. The true goal of the mission. A more precise Objective. Not "What happened here?" But, "Did a rival kill my two men?" This was a much clearer objective, he already had most of the information he needed for his narrative now. He took another look around the room with fresh eyes, fresh focus. He noticed something, a bit of blood spatter reaching inside the open crack of the cupboard door. He moved, openning the door. There was nothing in it. Some flecks of blood, maybe from the body by the desk... inconclusive. There was something else though, at the back of the space. Kint reached in, grabbing the small object, examining it. But when he fed it through the siv, it wasn't relevant to the objective. So he filed it away in his pocked... Interesting, but not useful. He concluded.
Kint stood up, he took another deep breath and let the intensity fade from his face, and the personality bubble back to the surface.
Elsha looked at him with that inquisitive eyebrow. This was the second time she'd seen him use the Silent State. "Well?" She asked. "Any ideas?"
"It's definitely a Mage."
"Thank you." Elsha snorted. "Tell me something new."
"Most likely it was a rival." Kint continued, peaking her interest. "A well known one, if I had to guess."
"What do you mean, 'well known'?" She asked.
Kint motioned to the spot in front of the desk where he'd stood before. "The killer made it this far into the room before punching our first victim through the chest, tearing him in half." He noted, "Then the perpatrator slammed the second victims head into the corner of that desk over there, hard enough to split his skull in two." He pointed to the desk itself.
"But the most interesting piece of information is where the Killer was standing when he killed victim one." Kint moved to stand in the center of the room facing the window. "The attacker and the victim were facing each other, deep inside the room, the well trained Acolyte leaving his chest completely unguarded. Which either means that the victims were comfortable enough with the killer not to be concerned, or they were too terrified to move."
Elsha nodded slowly, a small smile tugging at her lips. "And what kind of mage was it?" She asked.
"Probably a Life Mage." Kint guessed. "Body enhancer of some sort. But that's just a guess, because I can't see evidence of any other type of magic." He continued. "Besides, it doesn't matter what type of magic it was. Knowing that it was magic at all makes it more than likely to be one of Crecius' rivals."
Elsha nodded, putting a finger to her smiling lips as she began to pace the room.
"What?" Kint asked, biting off the end of the word. He was becoming annoyed at her childish games.
"Well your right about the type of mage not mattering at least." Elsha chided, enjoying herself.
"Oh..." Kint grumbled. Wishing she wouldn't play with him like this. If the information he had was incomplete he'd rather she just deliver what he needed as opposed to lording it over him. "And where am I wrong?" He pressed.
She smiled that predatory smile. "To start, I've never met a life mage with a well deep enough to do this kind of damage with body enhancement." She lectured. "Second, there's no way someone at the level that Crecius would consider a Rival would show up in person to a place like this. And third..." She paused, a pensive look on her face. "Kint, the amount you know about the Apostles and our Kin is like a drop of water in the ocean. When it comes to magecraft alone, since all you're likely to see in a lifetime is Wavers and Shapers, most Kadenites have no idea what magic can really do. It's only when you get into the realm of Crafters and Masters that things like Affinities come into play." She paused, making sure he was following so far before continueing. "With most Mage battles, the engagement is decided based on who's affinity is best suited to the other, Ice Shields vs. Fire blade, Earth Spikes vs. creeping vines, that sort of thing. But there are some rare affinities that can make a Crafter as powerful as a Master Mage." She paused, letting the drama of her words settle. "I've seen Crafter class mages that could slip into this room, do all this." She gestured to the gore around them. "And walk out before anyone could react." She finished, letting the power of the information wash over Kint.
"So you're saying this was likely done by a strong mage, with powers unknown, that the Acolytes stood no chance of defeating?" Kint paraphrased.
"Yes Kint, you got to the right answer." She said, rolling her eyes. "But you took the wrong road to get there."
Kint stared at her, letting her flounder in the silence for a bit. He of course, already knew most of what she mentioned, although he'd never seen that kind of power himself. He'd learned about it at the Academy. But she couldn't know that, so instead of saying it, he tried to make the silence as uncomfortable as possible. He finally spoke up however, when he realized it wasn't bothering her in the slightest.
"Well then..." He cleared his throat. "Shall we go."
"So we're done?" She asked, face alighting with a blinding smile.
"No." Kint stated, enjoying the smile's dissapearence. His partners nature was somehow more irritating after his time in the Silent State. "We still have to talk to the neighbors, get their statements."
"What?" Elsha graoned. "Why would we do that? It's not like they're going to know anything." She complained.
"Probably." Kint replied. "But Crecius want's people to know that he's taking this seriously. And there's no better way to let the public know you're investigating something than canvasing the area." He explained.
"Ugh." Elsha sighed, making her way downstairs. "Didn't you already send the Apprentice boy for that?"
"Oh? So now we're trusting young Payter?" Kint quipped.
"I'll trust him if he can help me get make my date tonight." She huffed.
"Come on." Kint rolled his eyes, unable to muster the energy for a laugh.